Researchers at MIT have won a grant to investigate the use of hydrophones to detect hurricanes and use the information to determine the wind speed.
Read the story on the MIT web site.
Mazda’s virtual testing tools
Mazda Motor Corporation selected MTS Systems Corporation and nCode to develop a virtual testing capability for durability, noise, vibration, and harshness.
Read the story on the MTS web site.
Consortium to make quieter aircraft
A consortium of 51 manufacturers from engine, aircraft, and equipment sectors as well as design and manufacturing firms, research establishments, and universities, are joining to develop technologies that would enable a minimum six-decibel reduction in aircraft noise.
Read the story on the SAE web site.
Software developed at NASA now available
NASA has made available many software applications that it developed under an open source license agreement. For example, STARS is finite element software used for structural analysis, heat transfer, linear aerodynamics, CFD , and controls engineering. It has been used at NASADryden Flight Research Center for analysis of the X-29A, F18 HARV/TVCS, B-52/Pegasus, Generic Hypersonics, NASP, SR-71, and the high speed civil transport (HSCT), among others.
View the software available on the NASA web site.
New low cost vibration analyzer for condition monitoring
MSc, Maintenance Systems Corporation, has released a low cost vibration analyzer for use in condition monitoring of bearings and machines.
Read the full article on the MSc web site.
New MEMS technology on the way
A new method of making MEMS devices is on the way. Traditional MEMS devices are made by etching silicon. A new method has been developed to etch metal, called EFAB. It is a metal deposition process that can be used to make complex 3D shapes. With EFAB processing, one can make electromagnetic actuators (e.g., solenoids) or sensors based on electromagnetic transduction—applications not well served by silicon micromachining.
Read the full article on the Sensor Mag web site.
Hair cells in the ear replaced every two days
Researchers have found that the stereocilia, the tiny hair cells in the ear that convert vibrating air into electrical signals in the ear, are replaced every two days. Their finding could explain the reason why it takes two days to recover from exposure to loud music or noise.
Read the article on the New Scientist web site.
Vibrating shoes could improve balance
Researchers at Boston University have found that when feet are vibrated, people have less tendency to sway. They conducted tests by getting people to stand on a vibrating platform and found that people swayed several millimeters less than when the platforms were stationary.
Read the article on the New Scientist web site.
On chip tri-axial accelerometer
Triad has developed a single chip tri-axial accelerometer that weighs 0.25gm.
Read the product specs on the Triad web site.
MEMs technology for microphones and speakers
Akustica is a US start-up company (not to be confused with the journal of the same name), that is developing MEMS that have combined on-chip microphones and electronics, and also speaker and electronics. This new technology allows the components to be miniaturised and produced extremely cheaply. They have developed microphones that are less than 1 mm^2, and a miniature speaker array that has 8 individually controllable speakers.
Read about the technology on the Akustica web site.